Everything You Need To Know About Boiler Maintenance

A significant heating system upgrade or an entire heating system replacement can be a huge expense for homeowners and building managers. In fact, system failures are pretty common and can happen at any time, especially when there is a real need for heat such as the cold winter days. Sometimes, allocating funds for these unexpected failures can be difficult and suddenly you can find yourself shelling out large sums of money to fix the heating problem. However, there is a way to avoid this type of damage and high expense from happening!



Following a regular maintenance schedule for your building or home’s boiler system will go a long way toward minimizing any sudden breakdowns and possible service interruptions. According to Weil McLain company and our experts at InterCounty Supply, here are some key items that should be a part of your regular check ups for heating maintenance:



Check that the shutoff valves function properly. Check for water leakage. If there is any sign of potential leakage, have a leak test performed.



The refractory for integrity to ensure it is properly protecting critical portions of the boiler. Check for broken pieces or even cracks, and repair if needed.



Check the controls, safety devices, and indicators, including the low-water cutoff devices and regulators, pressure gauge, safety valves, and the pressure release valve. Any that are not working properly puts the boiler at risk of major structural damage.

Check the fuel feed system and burners, particularly if your boilers use liquid fuels. They should be inspected and cleaned. Not doing so will result in inefficient combustion and heat transfer, resulting in higher fuel costs and less effective heating. Related to this is to clean or replace any fuel filters so as to maintain effective fuel flow, without which damage could occur.

Check that the boiler heat transfer surfaces are cleaned regularly to remove buildup. In the case of an oil-fired boiler, there may be soot residue. Soot can act as an insulator which cuts down on the efficiency of the heat transfer between combustion gas and steam or hot water generation.

When inspecting your boiler, remember to look for any signs of corrosion, overheating, or erosion, as well as any leaks from the boiler or external piping. These items can be signs that the boiler is not working properly and should be repaired immediately.

Implementing a regular maintenance and inspection program should always be done with a qualified contractor and should occur at least once a year. Our customers are factory trained professionals and have the skills and expertise to make sure your boiler maintenance is up to par every season throughout the year.